As you may have seen, I have been doing some thorough research on gut health for my own personal needs. I’ve had a few health problems and I linked them all to the gut, or at least in giving my gut some care and attention these problems could also minimise.

How do you know if you need a gut cleanse / shake up?

Firstly I will say this list is not exclusive to gut health and if you have any concerns about bowel related problems please speak to your GP. If your gut needs some looking after you might find that you are experiencing multiple symptoms from the list below.

Tiredness

Not sleeping well

Craving sugar

Feeling stressed

Lack of concentration

Mood changes

Bloating

Cramping

Irregular stools

Floating stools

Poor immune system

Skin flare-ups

For me I’ve had a whole host of symptoms from the list above and I really felt I needed to do something about it. Different things popped up online all the time claiming to help and I have been a little overwhelmed myself if I’m honest. Juice-cleanse? Soup-cleanse? Intermittent fasting? 3-day meal cleanses? The list went on as my brain got fried and a little sucked in to all of the claims, of which I’m certainly not saying are wrong at all. However step one for me was to widen my knowledge and go deeper into gut health. I have already studied this topic but it is an extensive subject with scientific research changing all the time.

I have decided that I need to give my gut a reset. By which I mean I really need to focus on what my gut needs to be able to function to its best ability and limit some foods that can make the gut work harder than it needs to, or even promote harmful bacteria.

Starting with some simple tasks.

1. Drink more water.

Personally I know I don’t drink enough water, and water is such an important change to make if you are going to implement any new healthy habits.

Water is important for a healthy digestion. It helps to break down the food we eat, allowing the nutrients to be absorbed by the body, and it helps the body to digest soluble fibre, turning fibre into a gel like substance, which helps with slowing digestion and helps us to pass stools easier.

Water does'nt need to be plain, you can drink herbal tea's, dilutable juices (just check the labels and be mindful of the ingredients), or add citrus or fruit slices to make it have flavour.

2. Mindful eating.

It is so easy to get caught up in rushing our meals times in between jobs and appointments. Muliti-tasking eating whilst working, scrolling the internet, or even on the go as we're walking.

The first step in the digestive process starts in the mouth. Chewing helps us break down our food down into small pieces so there is more surface area exposed. Making it easier to be broken down and making sure vitals nutrients aren’t missed.

When we eat whilst multi-tasking we are not thinking about chewing or enjoying our food. Just getting another thing completed. Take time to embrace your meal times, slow down the chewing, and enjoy your food.

3. Probiotics.

Probiotics are a great way to give your gut a general boost.

A daily probiotic supplement will help build the colony of good bacteria inside the gut. Probiotics are living microorganisms that, when ingested provide health benefits including regulating almost every aspect of digestion.

Probiotics can be taken in supplement form or through food.

Foods that contain probiotics include yoghurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, and kefeir.

4. Prebiotics.

Think about adding prebiotic foods to your diet. Prebiotic foods are higher in certains types of fibre that encourage the growth of probiotics you are adding to and bacteria that is already in your gut. Prebiotics help the bacteria in the gut to reproduce and grow and can help them to repair the gut walls.

Here are some examples of some of the most beneficial prebiotic foods: garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus, banana, apples, oats, barley, and flaxseed.

5. Increase dietary fibre.

Along with water, dietary fibre is key to keeping everything in the digestive system moving. Adding more whole grains, fruit, vegetables, grains and pulses to your diet will help to increase your dietary fibre and help your digestive system flow better.